Marine Commits Suicide Following Hazing

Santa Clara native was apparently prone to sleeping on guard duty; fellow Marines took to disciplining him.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Harry Lew took his own life in his foxhole in Afghanistan after he was kicked and punched by fellow Marines, military officials tell NBC Bay Area news.

An investigation into the 21-year-old's April death says Lew "leaned over his M249 squad automatic weapon as it pointed to the sky, placed the muzzle in his mouth and pulled the trigger."

Lew wrote on his arm: "may hate me now, but in the long run this was the right choice I'm sorry my mom deserves the truth."

The suicide came moments after fellow Marines attacked Lew for repeatedly falling asleep on guard duty. An investigation shows Lew, from Santa Clara, was caught asleep at least four separate times in areas where "enemy attack was considered imminent." Military records show Lew, who was on his first tour in Afghanistan, was first counseled then disciplined by a sergeant for sleeping while on post.

At some point, Lew was forced to walk his rounds while carrying a single sandbag, symbolic of the weight of his responsibility to his fellow marines.

On April 3, Lew could not be raised by radio while standing post. A check of his foxhole found him asleep once again.

The unnamed sergeant then announced over the radio that "peers should correct peers," according to military documents. That led to what appears to be a sad series of events.

Fellow lance corporals [whose names have been redacted in the report] ordered Lew to dig a new foxhole as a punishment, then informed Lew he could go to sleep once the task was finished. Those corporals, however, did not inform the sergeant they had given Lew permission to sleep.

At 1:00 a.m., that sergeant, whose name has also been redacted from the report, "angrily confronted [Lew] about why he had again fallen asleep." Other Marines then demanded Lew to perform various physical tasks as punishment and would "stomp down" on Lew's back and legs if he failed to do an exercise properly.

"Towards the end of the physical training", the report says a "sandbag broke open at which point lance corporal [redacted] picked it up and poured the contents on Lew's chest and face as he lay with his back to the ground."

Convinced Lew was responding to his punishment with sarcasm and disrespect, fellow lance corporals then "kicked dirt on Lew, kicked him in the back of the helmet, punched him in the back of his helmet with a force that cut [his attacker's] knuckle."

At some point, a fellow Marine stepped in to stop the attack, saying he didn't "want it on his conscience if Lew killed himself" -- which is exactly what Lew did.

A sergeant is blamed in the report for giving responsibility for Lew's discipline to fellow marines.

"Further, he failed to intervene while those peers undertook inappropriate corrective actions." That sergeant faces court martial when the unit returns from Afghanistan, as does an unnamed lance corporal.

The military says unequivocally that Lew took his own life, though it the report does indicated more than one round was shot from Lew's SAW.

"This command mourns the death of Lance Corporal Lew" reads the final report. "His family and friends have my deepest sympathies" says his commanding officer.

Lew is a 2008 graduate of Santa Clara High School and was assigned to the 2nd battalion, 3rd marine regiment, 3rd Marine division.

His obituary in the San Francisco Chronicle says Lew wrote "Brand new Marine, feels good" on his Myspace page shortly after he joined the military.

For the people who demand a draft...this is the type of person you get when you have a draft

“Tell that to the almost 18,000 dead draftees who died fighting in Vietnam. “

Dumbass emotional post like a lib.......oh sorry like a paulBot for you.

I have family members wounded in Vietnam who were drafted...that doesn’t take away the fact that are military is much more professional now.

That is fact.

Hi man, long time no see, but as a Snipe you know we stood fire watch every 3 days at sea, 4 hours after a 12 hr shift at anytime during the night, never came close to falling asleep, 130 shipmates depended on us in our berthing compartment. If I would have caused any deaths I would’ve wanted to die with them all if I had failed them, but none of us did. Don’t get the defense of this at all.

Seriously no one stood watch in our berth in port or at sea. We had about 180-200 in it. Berth was for all of A and R Div. The BT's and M - division had split berths though fwd and aft. Enough persons were coming in and out all hours of the night it wasn't needed.

What I am questioning is the quite possible conditions that may have brought the guys sleep on. If Uncle is handing out stress pills as the articles say in some persons it could make not going to sleep an impossibility or in others on rare occasions it could make them flip out. I know what those pills are capable of doing. Second thing is there are several disorder which can make staying awake impossible for some and I've seen that also. Those disorders can show up under stress. Four times sleeping? Then at fourth time too take his own life with a note written on his arm that really did not make sense? I have a lot of questions that I would need to see answers too before I could say any of it was justifable.

For the people who demand a draft...this is the type of person you get when you have a draft

“Tell that to the almost 18,000 dead draftees who died fighting in Vietnam. “

Dumbass emotional post like a lib.......oh sorry like a paulBot for you...that doesn’t take away the fact that are military is much more professional now.

Dumbass? Emotional? Like a paulBot?

You call names like a small child.

No one suggested it was not more professional now, and has nothing to do my comment.

My comment was directed at your: "This is the type of person you get when you have a draft"

Most draftees were top self, honorable people, nothing like you described above, with *thousands* giving their lives.

“My comment was directed at your: “This is the type of person you get when you have a draft” “

You will get people like that when you have a draft. In fact you get many people like that who don’t want to be in the military.

That doesn’t take anything away from the honorable people that were drafted. But the point remains the same.

Draft equals more unmotivated people not committed to the military...in the military. So, your emotive point about telling that to the dead draftees...is what it is...emotional tripe.

Draft equals more unmotivated people not committed to the military...in the military.

No one argued about who was more motivated. Different topic.

I said most draftees served honorably.

So, your emotive point about telling that to the dead draftees...is what it is...emotional tripe.

Wrong again slick. Read back, my point was most of the draftees in WWII, Vietnam etc, were honorable people, who served, not the bullshit blanket statement you burped up with, "This is the type of person you get when you have a draft"

Again, tell that to families of the nearly 18,000 dead draftees from Vietnam alone.

Wow, didn't know that but it makes sense. I guess flight deck personnel had it the same way, I think they were on 24 hr call.

rbmillerjr wrote:

"This is the type of person you get when you have a draft"

Once again, my point is clear here, most of the draftees in WWII, Vietnam etc, were honorable people, who served well, not the bullshit blanket statement you burped up with, "This is the type of person you get when you have a draft" suggesting they were all dishonorable and or suicidal.

The only thing dishonorable here, are your blanket demeaning comments.

Again, I'd like to see ya tell that to faces of families of the nearly 18,000 dead draftees from Vietnam alone.

Violins playing....address your feminized emotional liberalism to somebody who cares.

Here are just some of the names you directed my way.

Liberal, feminized, Dumbass, emotional, lib, paulBot

You're a name calling, no nothing asshole.

I'm a Vietnam era military veteran junior, was one of those that joined during the Vietnam war and have nothing but respect for those that fought and served, whether they were drafted or joined.

If you want to continue exchanging feet in your big mouth, with your disrespectful comments, come on back.

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